Tool for use in removing postage stamps from water



Nov. 1, 1966 J. c ANTOINE 3,282,620

TOOL FOR USE IN REMOVING POSTAGE STAMPS FROM WATER Filed Oct. 21, 1964 IN VENTOR JA C QUE S CARME LEA U ANTOINE United States Patent 3,282,620 TOOL FOR USE IN REMOVING POSTAGE STAMPS FRUM WATER Jacques Carmeleau Antoine, 1601 Hamlin St. NE., Washington, D.C. Filed Oct. 21, 1964, Ser. No. 405,487 1 Claim. (Cl. 294-) This invention relates to a tool for use in the process of removing a water-soaked postage stamp from a container of water and transferring it to a dry surface.

In the hobby of stamp-collecting, it is frequently necessary to remove a stamp from an envelope or the like. This is generally accomplished by placing the stamp, together with the piece of envelope to which it is stuck into a container of water and permitting it to soak there for a suflicient period of time so that the stamp separates from the backing paper. Frequently a stamp collector will .carry out this process at one time with a large number of stamps which are aflixed to envelopes and the like. After the stamp has separated from the envelope the usual practice is to pick it out by hand and place it face down upon a newspaper, blotter or similar mat surface which is dry and will absorb the water. The disadvantage of this method is that the stamp in its water-soaked condition may be easily damaged unless it is handled very gently. It has been found in practice that the fingers generally work better than tongs, in that the latter are frequently 'diflicult to maneuver and unless handled very skillfully also sometimes damage the watersoaked stamps.

Although stamp-collecting has been a hobby of large numbers of people for many years, to date no one has presented a practical solution to this problem.

It is the primary object of this invention to provide for the stamp collector a new, simple and effective pickup tool for stamps which has the advantages of keeping his hands completely free of water while the stamps are separated from the envelope or the like, of obviating the risk of damage to the stamps which occurs when the stamps are removed from their bath by hand or tongs, and of speeding up the process of removing the stamps from the bath. Other objects, adaptabilities and capabilities will appear as the description progresses, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 illustrates the tool of the invention in an enlarged elevational view;

FIGURE 2 illustrates the tool of the invention in a side view when inserted into a vessel and about to contact a stamp; and

FIGURE 3 is a view in partial section of the tool placing a stamp on a mat surface.

Referring now to FIGURE 1, it will be noted that there are two main parts of the tool, viz., the handle portion 10 and the head or pickup portion 11. The pickup portion 11 is roughly in the shape of a torus and has orifice designated 12. It is important that the periphery of the pickup portion 11 be substantially continuously convex with a substantially coplanar area 16, at least on one side. This coplanar area on one side of portion 11 is somewhat exaggerated for the purposes of illustration, and it is to be understood that both sides 14 and 16 of the portion 11 as shown in the figure have substantially coplanar areas.

In operation, the stamp collector first puts a number 3,282,620 Patented Nov. 1, 1966 "ice of stamps which are still adhered to the mailing paper into a both of water 20 and permits them to soak a sufficient time so the mailing papers separate from the stamps. In order to speed up the process somewhat the tool of the invention may be grasped by the handle 10 and used to stir the bath. Since there are no sharp edges in the pickup portion 11, no damage results to the stamps. With the stamps thus separated, the collector brings the pickup portion 11, or more accurately, the coplanar area 16, against the after side of the water-soaked stamp 18 which he desires to remove from the bath. The stamp 18 adheres to the portion 16. It is taken from the bath and removed by placing the stamp 18 face down upon the newspapers or blotters 22 employed as a mat for drying. Water drips from the stamp and tool as they are lifted from the bath 20 and considerably less water is carried to the drying mat 22 than occurs when the stamps are picked up by hand. When the stamp 18 is placed face down, the surface of mat 22 upon which it adheres is substantially larger than the area 16 and accordingly the pickup portion 11 may be swiftly disengaged from the stamp. The process is then repeated until all the stamps have been removed from the bath.

Because of the coplanar nature of the area 16, the stamp is always placed upon the drying rnat 22 in its substantially planar position and the problem of edges which may sometimes bend under when the stamp is laid down with the dripping fingers is reduced.

An important aspect of the pickup portion is that the coplanar portion 16 be suff cient so that the stamp will adhere thereto in order to be removed from the bath but be insufficient to overcome the adherence of the stamp to the mat 22 so that the tool can be readily removed from the stamp 18. It is also important that the tool have no sharp edges which might damage the stamps. With this in mind, it will be appreciated that the pickup portion may have any appropriate shape for its purpose such as, for example, the shape of a square or other polygon (with rounded edges) and that the orifice 12 may be a cavity or a plurality of apertures. However, the orifice as shown is preferred so that most of the water draisns from the tool as it is removed from the bath and the amount which drips from the tool on the mat is minimal. It will, of course, be appreciated that the tool may be constructed of any appropriate material such as plastics, Wood, glass, metal, ceramics, or the like.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitation should be understood therefrom, inasmuch as numerous modifications which do not affect the function of the invention will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to cover by Letters Patent of the United States is:

An article of manufacture for use in the process of removing a Water-soaked postage stamp from a water bath and transferring same to a dry surface which comprises a handle portion, and a pickup portion connected to said handle portion, said pickup portion including an orifice and a pickup surface, said pickup surface substantially surrounding said orifice and being coplanar with a horizontal plane which is disposed substantially perpendicularly to an axis of said orifice extending therethrough, said pickup portion being substantially oval when viewed C; a in a plane perpendicular to the axis of said orifice, the References Cited by the Examiner area of said pickup surface being of suflicient amount UNITED STATES PATENTS whereby adherence of a stamp thereto is sufficient to permit the removal of a stamp in a wet condi from said 130,767 8/ 1 72 Taber 29415 Water and ent to disengage a stamp in a Wet con- 5 iifigg 11 3 I 1g00n "292491-231;

d't' f 'd d f th t i g 1 1 1 er man 1101'! I'OIII Sal ry S111 8C6 e S amp enga ea 6 parts Migcilolet X of said pickup portion other than said pickup surface being rounded and without projections or edges capable of injuring a stamp in the normal process of removing GERALD FORLENZA Primary Examiner same from said water bath. 10 G. F. ABRAHAM, Assistant Examiner. 

